Automatic drum player



Nov. 18, 1930; J. VERRECCHIA 1,782,247

AUTOMATIC DRUM PLAYER Filed 061;. 24, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l m U A Q ,M W m.\ m MT wN a Q Q M m W 1 w i v w 6 n w w mm L? a 5 k H1 g 3 l Rd k limwm 7 m mm .l w Rs 0 J w I A .Q mm A Q w w 1930- J. VERRECCHIA AUTOMATIC DRUM PLAYER Filed Oct. 24, 1927 2 Sheets$heet 2 ATTORNEY v INVENTOR. 50M @mewfkiw Patented Nov. 18, 1930 PATENT GFFICE JOHN VERRECCHIA, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY AUTOMATIC DRUM PLAYER Application filed October 24, 1927.

This invention relates to instrument playing devices with special reference to drum beating apparatus as applied to snare and like drums.

In small bands and orchestras it is quite common forthe performers to play several instruments, at different times, to give the effect of a larger organization and it is the main object of the present invention to provide means whereby a performer is enabled "to play two instruments at the same time, one of these instruments being a drum.

A further feature is in the provision of an apparatus which is pedally actuated to produce a beating effect and which in no wise interferes with the use of the players hands in performing upon another instrument of a different character.

Another object is to provide means for producing a rapid tattoo effect by a pair of drumsticks or heaters upon the drum by the depression of a pedal, another pedal actuating a second pair of heaters at a greatly reduced speed. i 5 Finally, to provide an apparatus capable of beating a juxtaposed snare drum in an effective and easy manner to produce the taps or irillS required.

These several objects are attained by the 0 novel construction and combination of parts herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a material part of this disclosure, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention, illustrating its application to a conventional drum.

Figure 2 is an end view of the apparatus, the end wall of the casing being removed and the actuating levers being shown in section.

Figure 3 is a sectional View of the same, taken on line 83 of Figure 2.

Referring to Figure 1 the device will be seen to consist of a sheet metal casing having a series of heaters projecting into position to selectively strike the face of a drum X held in close proximity to one of its sides.

In greater detail, the casing is composed of two side plates 5 and 6, the latter being adjacent the drum X, and a pair of ends 7 and 8 united by a top plate 9.

Serial No. 228,168.

Attached to the sides 5 and 6, at their low-er inner end edges are supports 10, held by corner bolts 11, similar bolts also passing through the upper corners of the side walls.

A pedal 12 is fixed on the front end of a 5 lever 18 extending through a slot 1a in the front wall '7, the lever being pivoted on a rod 15 extending between the sides 5 and (3 midway their height, close to the near end wall 8.

A similar pedal 16 mounted on a lever 17 operates in a slot 18 in the front wall and pivoted on a stud 19 set in the front wall (3 and coiled about tnestud is a spring 20 reach ing to the front and provided with a hook 21 in which the lever is seated to he held in a normally raised position. A like spring is coiled about a rod 23 and adapted to maintain the lever 13 in a raised position.

A spindle 25 journalled substantially cen tral in the casing, carries a ratchet wheel 26 engageable by a pawl 23' piv ted to an arm 28 fired on the lever 13, at a point curved n1 wardly to clear the spindle as it 's Fixed on the back of the rate t adjacent the wall 5, is a spur go; 29 meshed with a pinion 30 rigid on a spindle journailed in the sides and having find on it n bevel gear meshed with a mat fixed on the inner end of a spind spindle is mounted in a pair of bracket; fixed on the inner face of the wall 6, and has secured on it a pair of oothed wheels 36 and 37.

A second pair of brackets 38, below and parallel with the brackets and closer to the supporting wall 6, have mounted in them a rod 39 acting as a pivot for a pair of hellcrank levers 40 and 411, each having upturned lower terminals reaching into position to he engaged by the teeth of the wheels 36 and 37 as the latter are caused to rotate.

The upright arms 40 and 41 of the bellcrank-levers are pressed individually outward by springs 42, causin the opposed ends of the levers to yield during the passage of the teeth of the wheels 36 and over them, these wheels being arranged to present their teeth in staggered relation whereby the levers are ctuated alternately.

Fixed in the upper ends of the lever arms.

and 11, which are limited in their out- .Ward stroke by a block 44-, are resilient rods 45 and 46 passing through slots l7 and i8 in the casing cover 9, and bent at an oiiset outwardly, their raised ends carrying heaters 50 and 51 adapted to contact with the side of the drum X, beating a rapid tattoo ortrill in accordance with the speed of depression of the upper ends oi levers 58 and 59 which are limited in their outward movement by a block 60, the levers being pivoted on a spindle 61 carried in brackets 62 fixed onthe inner side of the wall 6.

The levers are pressed normally against the block by pairs of bent springs ('33 and each lever is provided with pins on which is mounted spring urged dogs 64- and 65 proa jecting towards the plate 6.

Fixed to the plate 6 is a pair of vertical guides 66 and 67 in which are slidably enaged bars 68 and 69 having on the inner surices lugs 70 and 71 arranged in difierent rizontal planes and adapted to engage the cogs 64 and 65 to raise them in alternate relation, thus moving the heaters to strike the drum one after the other.

The bars 68 and 69 are connected near their lower ends by a rigid cross bar 7 2, at the center of which is pivotally. attached a lever 7 3, pivoted at 7 i to the sidewall 6 and connected by a link 75 to the pedal lever 17.

In operation, upon depressing the lever 17 the beater hammer 53 will strike the drum and at-a full complete stroke'of the lever the beater hammer 52 willalso strike. As the lever 17 is instantly returned to its normal raised position by the spring 20, this operation may be repeated, producing a relatively slow beating effect of the drum, that may be continued indefinitely.

When a more rapid beat is required the other pedal 13 is depressed, which, as has been described, produces action of the heaters or hammers 50 and 51 at a greater velocity which may be continued as desired by re- .peatedly depressing the lever 17.

As changes of construction-could be made Within the scope oi the invention, it .is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing descriptionor shown inthe accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters v Patent, is

'1. A drum beater comprising a pair of heater hammers adapted to. strike a drum, a single pedally actuated lever to impart m0- pairs of heaters cxtendingoperably through said casing, alever for each pair of heaters, said levers beingpivoted in the casing and independently operable, a pair of rotary star wheels having theirteeth arranged in staggered relation a gear train for'said star wheels driven by one of said levers, arms pivoted in the casing to carry one pair or said beaters means on said arms cooperative with the teeth ,ofsaid star wheels to oscillate the arm carried heaters alternately, and means actuated by the other of said levers to operate the other pair of heaters in alternate relation one to theother. V I

l. A drum beater comprising a casing, two pairs of heaters extending operahly through said casing, a foot lever'ior each'pairof heaters, said foot levers being pivoted in the casing and independently operable, upright levers pivoted {in the casing'to carry said heaters, said heater levers being pressed resiliently in one direction paw'ls pivoted on the beater levers, slides movable vertically in the casing, means on said slides to engage at diti'erentheights with said pawls, opera-' tive connections bet-weenone of the root le V61;v other of the foot levers to actuate the other pair of heaters and means for causing the heaters in each pair to operate in staggered relation. Y

In testimony whereo fl affi my signature.

- JOHN VERRECCHIA.

ice

and said slides,'1 neans actuated'hy the 

